The subject invention is directed to the art of plastic holding straps of the type used for looping around, fastening, and bundling cables and other tubular articles to an associated support member and, more particularly, to the art of plastic holding elements of the type including an elongate profiled strap element, a head member connected to a first end of the strap element and defining a passage opening and an elastic locking element selectively movable into the passage opening for locking the strap element relative to the head member.
Plastic holding straps of the type under consideration are commonly used to bundle cables and other elongate objects such as tubes or the like in a secured manner. Typically, the plastic holding straps are formed as a long relatively thin flexible profiled strap element including a pair of spaced apart parallel longitudinal strips that extend along the length of the strap element. A plurality of transverse rung members extend in a spaced apart relationship between the pair of parallel longitudinal strips. One end of the plastic holding element defines a passage opening adapted to accept the other free end of the holding strap therethrough. At least one locking element is disposed within the passage opening for selectively engaging the plurality of transverse rung members. The elastic locking element is typically embeddable relative to the longitudinal strips and transverse rung members.
Holding straps of the type described above are well known in the art. A number of patents including German Patent DE-GM 297 07 757.0 teach improvements to the elastic locking element wherein the element is specially designed in order to enable improved mounting of the strap within the head member.
In some teachings, namely DE OS 38 07 173 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,444, improvements are shown that are directed to the transverse rung members extending in a spaced apart relationship between the pair of longitudinal strips. More particularly, in those teachings, the transverse rung members have a circular cross section or are oval in shape.
Although holding straps formed in accordance with the above teachings have met with some success, there remains the possibility that bundled articles subjected to substantial longitudinal tension may become detached from the mounting device. Some articles are shaped in the form of a so called "corrugated tube" wherein one or more elongate grooves are provided along the longitudinal direction of the cable or tube. Even when those articles are bundled using known plastic holding straps, however, there remains the possibility of detachment due to longitudinal tension placed on the bundled articles.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a plastic holding strap that is capable of secure mounting of corrugated tubes or other elongate tubes, cables, and other articles provided with a longitudinal groove or corrugation.
Further, it is desirable to provide a plastic holding strap that is particularly well suited for mounting and axially securing tubes, cables, and other articles of the aforementioned type onto an associated support member.